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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24731965">Welcome Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/insanity_times_ten/pseuds/insanity_times_ten'>insanity_times_ten</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SIX oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Six - Marlow/Moss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Family Fluff, Military, Military Families, Oneshot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:49:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24731965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/insanity_times_ten/pseuds/insanity_times_ten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cathy has been waiting for this day for eighteen months now- the day her Anne will finally come home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SIX oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938562</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Welcome Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sorry I haven’t been active, I’ve been lacking inspiration and finally found the will to write this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright, Liz, you’re gonna stay with Gram for a while, ok?” Cathy is preparing to leave for the airport, and though a nervous wreck, she insists upon driving herself. All of her friends will be meeting her at the airport, and relatives are to finish preparations for the party at home. She has been waiting for this day for eighteen months now- the day her Anne will finally come home. The past year and a half has been hard on the family, with Cathy in constant worry that something has happened to her wife and Anne fighting to protect her country and her girls. The anticipation of this day and what it might bring has kept Cathy awake at night for longer than she cares to admit. Her friends have been her biggest support during Anne’s deployment, from always offering words of encouragement when she’s filled with dread to offering to watch her and Anne’s three-year-old daughter when the emotions make her into a monster. Cathy has never known people more kind and caring than they are. </p><p> </p><p>The drive to the airport is a long one, taking a little over an hour, and Cathy forces herself to arrive early. What she ends up doing is waiting for half an hour or more before her friends arrive, and even then it is still going to be at least another 45 minutes until the plane carrying her wife lands. </p><p> </p><p>“God, Cathy, how long have you been here?” Jane Seymour, who is probably Cathy's best friend, asks upon seeing her hunched over in a chair, a ball of nerves.</p><p> </p><p>Cathy taps her foot and checks her watch, even though she already knows the answer. “I don’t know,” she says, nearly breaking down from sheer nervousness. Her friends sense this and sit down near her, save for Jane, who crouches in front of Cathy and puts a hand on her friend’s knee, ready to calm her at a moment's notice.</p><p> </p><p>“Hon, I understand that you’re worried, but you’re tearing yourself apart. This isn’t healthy! Can you try and take a couple deep breaths? That might help.” Jane takes a deep breath, and Cathy follows. Cathy takes a few more shuddering breaths and finally seems a bit more relaxed. “Do you wanna try to talk me through what you’re feeling?” Jane asks.</p><p> </p><p>Cathy nods. “I’m… scared, I think that’s the best word for it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you scared?”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess.. oh, I don’t know. I’m scared I won’t recognize Anne. I’m scared she’ll be hurt. I’m scared that she won’t come home, that she’ll have died in a bomb strike early this morning or a plane crash over the ocean.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Cathy, it’ll be ok. You’ll remember Anne’s face. If she’s hurt, she’ll still be Anne. And she's gonna come home, I’m sure of it,” one of Cathy’s other friends, Katherine, assures her.</p><p> </p><p>Cathy’s eyes widen. “You’re sure?” Katherine nods.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got an idea to get your mind off of things and help pass the time!” Jane says excitedly. “We’ll play a game!” The other four women murmur their approval. They decide on I Spy and spend the wait playing like little kids. </p><p> </p><p>In the middle of their fun, an announcement comes over the PA system. “Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse this interruption. We are happy to announce the safe return of almost a thousand military personnel to our great nation from the Middle East. Everyone here at New York City’s JFK Airport would like to extend a hearty ‘thank you’ to each and every one of them for their service.”</p><p> </p><p>Cathy turned to face the group. “Guys. Does this mean-”</p><p> </p><p>“Cathy!” a voice from behind her yells. She turns around to see the person she’s been waiting for all these months.</p><p> </p><p>“Anne!”</p><p> </p><p>The two run toward each other, Anne dropping her backpack along the way. Cathy has tears streaming down both cheeks. When she reaches Anne after running what seems like a mile, she throws her arms around her soldier’s neck and hugs tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“I missed you,” Cathy cries into Anne’s shoulder. “I was worried you wouldn’t come home.”</p><p> </p><p>“I missed you too, babe, and Lizzie.” Anne presses a kiss onto Cathy’s temple. “How is Lizzie, anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>“She’s great, staying at home with my mom. Didn’t want her to see me like this.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s smart.” Anne catches sight of the people watching them. “Oh my word, you brought everyone, didn’t you?” Jane, Katherine, Anna, and Catalina look up at Anne, who runs over and wraps them into a group hug.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome home, Annie,” Katherine, who is beginning to cry as well, whispers to her cousin.</p><p> </p><p>“Anne, we’ve got a couple surprises for you, but first, is there anything you want to do while we’re still in the city?” Jane asks. </p><p> </p><p>“Actually, there is one thing…” Anne turns to Cathy. “Can we go to Times Square?”</p><p> </p><p>Cathy, confused, agrees. “Of course, we can do whatever you want.”</p><p> </p><p>Once in Time Square, Anne takes Cathy by the hand and instructs the other four to get out their phone cameras. She leads Cathy a few feet away from their friends.</p><p> </p><p>“Now, I know I’m not in the Navy,” she begins, “but I figured we could recreate the picture anyway.” She dips Cathy backward and kisses her. Cathy, although somewhat surprised, kisses her back. The four women holding their phones snap a few photos and cheer.</p><p> </p><p>“God, I’ve missed your kisses,” Cathy says softly before tucking a stray wisp of hair behind Anne’s ear and kissing her again.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright you two,” Jane interrupts, “we’ve got a long drive ahead of us. You can catch up on the way.” The six of them walk to their group of cars. In Anne and Cathy’s car, the hour drive to their home in New Jersey is filled with conversation, stories of Lizzie’s adventures and Anne’s time on the base in Afghanistan. When the couple is stopped at a railroad track, Cathy pulls out her phone to text someone. </p><p> </p><p>A few blocks away from Anne and Cathy’s house, the car stops. “Get on the roof,” Cathy instructs her wife. Anne stares at her, puzzled. “You heard what I said, get on the roof of the car.” Anne complies, not entirely sure what is happening. As soon as they turn the corner onto their street, Anne sees the crowd of people gathered along the sidewalk, all cheering for her. She smiles and starts waving wildly at them, all the while looking for her daughter. </p><p> </p><p>The small parade continues into Anne and Cathy’s driveway, where Cathy stops the car and helps Anne down from the roof. The couple enter the house.</p><p> </p><p>“Lizzie!” Cathy yells up the stairs. Soon, the sound of little feet can be heard through the second floor hallway and down into the living room. Upon seeing Anne, Lizzie shies away, not entirely sure what to do about the camouflage-clad woman standing in her living room.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Lizzie, don’t be scared. It’s me, your Mama!” Anne tries to coax the girl out of hiding. Hearing the woman say “Mama” strikes something in Lizzie’s head. </p><p> </p><p>“Mama?” she asks, still not completely sure if she should trust this lady. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, that’s right. I’m Mama,” Anne says, crouching to the little redhead’s level. “I’m finally home.”</p><p> </p><p>“Go on Lizzie, show Mama what you drew!” Cathy encourages her daughter. Lizzie turns around the paper she’s been holding, revealing a picture of herself, Cathy, and Anne drawn in crayon. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Liz, I love it! Come on, let’s go hang it on the fridge.” Anne takes her child by the hand and walks into the kitchen, dropping the tiny hand when she sees that they aren’t alone.</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Maman?” </em>The woman, Anne’s mother, turns around wiping her hands on the apron she’s wearing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Anne, <em> chérie, </em>come here!” Anne and her mother share an embrace. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, <em>ma petite fleur</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve missed you too, <em> Maman. </em>But, I’m back, at least for now, and that’s what matters.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, yes, you’re right. I’ll let you have time with Lizzie, you deserve it.” Anne takes the drawing from Lizzie and sticks it to the fridge with a dolphin-shaped magnet. </p><p> </p><p>Soon, all of the food is finally prepared, and Anne, Cathy, Lizzie, and all their friends and family go outside to sit at the various picnic tables that have been set up in the backyard. After everyone has been stuffed full of hamburgers, pie, and various side dishes, people begin to leave, beginning with the extended family members who live farther away. Anna and Katherine leave somewhat early, as they have college classes tomorrow and it is their final year. The final guests, Anne and Cathy’s parents, leave at around eight o’clock, not too long before Lizzie is put to bed. As soon as their daughter is asleep, Cathy leads Anne to their bed, topples her backwards onto it, and kisses her deeply. </p><p> </p><p>“Welcome home,” she whispers, her breath tickling Anne’s ear.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoyed!<br/>French translations:<br/>Maman- Mama/Mom<br/>Chérie- darling/sweetheart<br/>Ma petite fleur- My little flower<br/>If you aren’t familiar with the photo “V-J Day in Times Square,” also known as “The Kiss,” here’s a link:https://www.google.com/search?q=the+kiss+photo&amp;client=safari&amp;hl=en-us&amp;prmd=inv&amp;sxsrf=ALeKk01jIGfUEzphT0XUqp0vIkh3KplJMA:1592203556649&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjYvp27nIPqAhXxVTABHcUcD-EQ_AUoAXoECBMQAQ&amp;biw=1024&amp;bih=625#imgrc=vXniuh0jKI9rbM</p></blockquote></div></div>
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